Mother Files First Complaint With Palm Beach Police
The mother of a 14-year-old girl files a complaint with the Palm Beach Police Department, reporting that her daughter had been paid to give a massage to Jeffrey Epstein at his Palm Beach mansion and had been sexually abused. This complaint initiates the police investigation that will eventually lead to Epstein's prosecution. Detective Joseph Recarey is assigned to the case and begins what becomes a thorough, extensive investigation identifying over 40 victims.
People Involved
Background
In early 2005, a parent contacted the Palm Beach Police Department after learning from her 14-year-old daughter that the girl had been recruited to give a massage at a wealthy man’s house and had been sexually abused.
The Initial Complaint
The complaint described:
- How the girl had been recruited by an older student at her school
- The initial premise was “massage work” for extra money
- The actual encounter involved sexual abuse by Epstein
- The girl was paid $200-300 following the encounter
Detective Recarey’s Investigation
The department assigned Detective Joseph Recarey to investigate. He conducted one of the most thorough trafficking investigations of the era, ultimately identifying approximately 40 victims, all teenage girls from the Palm Beach area.
Significance
This complaint was the starting point for everything that followed — the Palm Beach prosecution, the NPA, the federal investigation, and ultimately the 2019 arrest. Everything traces to this mother’s decision to report.